Hist 331
Traditional Asia
section 11511 MW 2:00-3:15 KINA 204
spring 2003
Prof. Ed Haynes
History Department
BANC 366, phone: 323-4682
E-mail: haynese@winthrop.edu or maharao@yahoo.com
Office hours: MWF 8-9, MW 1-2,
NEVER on TR, by appointment,
and on-line
This course will survey the history of "traditional" Asia from the earliest times until the climax of the great pre-European empires. We will examine comparatively the entire span of Asian history and civilization, though out focus will lie with the East Asian and South Asian culture areas. No background or prerequisites are assumed or required.
A web site has been established for this course at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HIST331/
It is VITALLY important that you visit this site and sign up (or at HIST331-subscribe@yahoogroups.com). This method of contact will, I hope, become a (the?) major form of out-of-class interaction in this course and your presence on this site will be a part of your grade for the course. More information on this will be distributed. If you are not "computer literate", it may be high time to acquire that literacy (as well as other kinds).
TEXTS:
The books are in the bookstore (?). All readings should be done and understood before the class for which they are shown and assigned. Please take this seriously (I shall!). Other readings and supplementary items will probably be made available on-line or in class. At times (especially with the Reilly reader), things may be assigned more than once; dont worry, just read them more than once, as they are intended to be seen, and read, and discussed in different contexts each time.
It does not matter at all to me that you OWN the books; what matters is that you READ and UNDERSTAND the assigned readings.
Rhoads Murphey, A History of Asia, 3rd ed. ([New York]: Addison-Wesley, [2000]; ISBN 0-321-04257-3) this text covers substantially more than we shall address in this semester, but it is the best general "framework" text available
Sima Qian, Historical Records, tr. Raymond Dawson (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1994; ISBN 0-19-283115-1)
Janet L. Abu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony: The World System A.D. 1250-1350 (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, [1989]; ISBN 0-19-506774-9)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Grading:
Winthrop says I have to give you a grade. While this may well get in the way of learning, "I hear and I obey." All exams, quizzes, etc. will be graded on a 100-point scale and will be factored into your grade as indicated by the percentages given below. All letter grades are translated to numbers on a strict ten-point-cut system: 100-90%=A, 89-80%=B, 79-70%=C, 69-60%=D, £ 59%=F. There is no curve. Winthrop, alas, does not yet have a +/- grading system, so were all stuck with the lack of detailed reward which the current system offers; I grade with a +/- system (with numbers ending in "8"="+" and "2"="-"), but Winthrops computer wont accept it as a final grade.Class Attendance: This class has an attendance policy. It is that you are all grownups and have, thereby, the right to make decisions about your lives. This includes the right to make incredibly stupid decisions such as not coming to class. I am not your mother, I shall not take roll. Do note, however, that discussion plays a major role in the class (and you cant discuss if you arent here!).
Map Exercise: on 22 January there will be an in-class map quiz, drawn from the items on the "study sheet" you have received. You will be expected to locate a selection of 20 of these places on an outline map. This first map exercise grade will be 5% of your grade for the course.
Two Exams: 24 February and 2 April, each 13% of the grade. The exams will be "mostly" essay; sample questions will be distributed in advance.
Reaction paper to Sima Qian, Historical Records, tr. Raymond Dawson, due 19 February, 9% of the grade for the course. The same sort of exercise that you conducted for the Ramaswamy book.
Reaction paper to a book on "traditional" India which you will select on your own (perhaps from the bibliography in the text, but CONSULT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR), due 31 March, 9% of the grade for the course. I do not want a book report or book review. I want you to read the book carefully and think about it, on paper, in the context of this course, in 4 to 6 pages.
Reaction paper to Abu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony, due 23 April, 12% of the grade for the course. The same sort of exercise that you conducted for the Ramaswamy book, but more extensive (in the range of 5 to 7 pages?).
Class Discussions: Participation in class discussion, 7% of the grade. This implies that you read, think, come to class, and have important things to say.
E-Mail/Internet Discussion: At http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HIST331/. This will be 7% of your grade for the course.
Formal Discussion: Participation in one of the formal discussion sessions, 7-21 April, as a part of a team. This will be 8% of your grade.
Final exam, of unknown timing (the Registrar refuses to tell us!). This will be 17% of the final grade. While the exam will be comprehensive, it will focus on the material since the mid-term exam. The structure will be much like the earlier exams, "mainly" essay and there will probably be sample questions distributed in advance.
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND READINGS:
Wednesday, 15 January Introduction to the Course and to the Topic
Monday, 20 January NO CLASS (MLK Day)
Wednesday, 22 January The Environmental Context of Asia
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. xi-xxvii, 1-8
Map Quiz
Monday, 27 January Prehistory becomes Protohistory
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 9-20
Wednesday, 29 January Early Civilizations in South Asia
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 63-69
Monday, 3 February Invasions and Cultural Responses
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 69-79
Wednesday, 5 February The "Hindu" World and World View
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 21-29
Monday, 10 February Making Indian States
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 71-86
Wednesday, 12 February Early Civilizations in East Asia
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 87-94
Monday, 17 February Chinese "Religious" Thought
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 25-35
Wednesday, 19 February Ideas Become Balanced Life
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 94-108
Paper on Sima Qian due
Monday, 24 February EXAM 1
Wednesday, 26 February "Medieval" India
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 109-122, 35-38
Monday, 3 March Larger India: Southeast Asia
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 122-131
Wednesday, 5 March "Medieval" China
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 132-150
SPRING BREAK
Monday, 17 March Larger China: Korea
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 167-171
Wednesday, 19 March Larger China: Classical Japan
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 1151-167, 38-39
Monday, 24 March Early Modern India: The Mughals
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 172-184
Wednesday, 26 March The Central Asian Constant
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 184-191
Monday, 31 March Early Modern China: The Ming
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 192-213
India Paper due
Wednesday, 2 April EXAM 2
Monday, 7 April Asia as a Unitary Whole: Social Systems (DISCUSSION)
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 42-50
Wednesday, 9 April Asia as a Unitary Whole: Women (DISCUSSION)
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 50-54
Monday, 14 April Asia as a Unitary Whole: Literate High Cultures (DISCUSSION)
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 54-57
Wednesday, 16 April Asia as a Unitary Whole: "Asian Values" (DISCUSSION)
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 57-62
Monday, 21 April Asia as a Unitary Whole: Asian Religions (DISCUSSION)
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 21-41
Wednesday, 23 April An Asian World System
Murphey, History of Asia, pp. 214-234
Paper on Abu-Lughod due
Monday, 28 April Summation, if Possible
Final Exam UNKNOWN
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/hist_331.html
last revised 26 September 2002